Matthew Vassar, Founder of Vassar College, Was Born
April 29, 1792
And so you see, to old V.C.Our love shall never fail.Full well we know that all we oweTo Matthew Vassar's ale.

This once-popular song pays tribute to Matthew Vassar, founder of Vassar College (V.C.), who was born on April 29, 1792, in Norfolk, England. He had made a fortune in the brewing business. His niece, Lydia Booth, inspired Vassar to donate half of this fortune, as well as 200 acres of land in Poughkeepsie, New York, to establish a women's college. He intended for it to be comparable to the best universities of the day, most of which excluded women.